Stella

Species: Green Sea Turtle
(Chelonia mydas)

Stranding Date: May 1, 2012
Stranding Location: Lake Worth, Florida

Initial Weight: 6.27 lbs.
Current Weight: 15.2 lbs.

Issue: Laceration across rear flipper

 

ADMISSION NOTE:

Stella is a juvenile green turtle that was found at the Lake Worth fishing pier with an old laceration across the left rear flipper. Radiographs revealed a small amount of mineralized debris throughout the GI tract and the lungs appeared to be compressed. Bloodwork results showed the turtle is otherwise healthy! Stella will receive antibiotics and nutritional support.

PROGRESS NOTES:

12/19/2012 – We are happy to announce that Stella is scheduled to be released Wednesday afternoon at the beach adjacent to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center at 4pm.

12/12/2012 – Recent bloodwork appears normal. The turtle received flipper tags and will hopefully be released sometime over the next week.

12/6/2012 – The turtle received a deworming treatment and we are monitoring bloodwork for changes.

11/28/2012 – The bloodwork was reviewed by our Hospital Coordinator Nicole Montgomery, CVT and Dr. Nicole Stacy from the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine. It is believed that Stella and Sinkey both have very immature white cells, which may be an indication of parasites. Both turtles are being evaluated for parasites and treatment will be started soon.

11/23/2012 – Stella’s bloodwork will be reviewed by a clinical pathologist at the University of Florida next week.

11/12/2012 – Stella is active and eating well, but has an unusual abnormality to its bloodwork.

11/5/2012 – Stella is no longer receiving any antibiotics. The abscess has resolved and we will be checking bloodwork this week to be sure that the white cell count elevation does not return.

10/29/2012 – Stella is continuing to receive its course of antibiotics and we will be checking bloodwork this week to see if the white cell count is improving.

10/22/2012 – Stella is continuing to receive its course of antibiotics and we will be checking bloodwork this week to see if the white cell count is improving.

10/15/2012 – Stella is continuing to receive antibiotics and bloodwork was taken today to see how well the turtle is responding to treatment. We are still monitoring the abscess and it has almost entirely filled in.

10/8/2012 – We have begun Stella on a course of different antibiotics and will be rechecking bloodwork next week to see if this antibiotic will help to correct the white cell count elevation.

10/1/2012 – Stella’s recent bloodwork showed signs of infection. The turtle is now receiving an oral antibiotic and we will recheck bloodwork this week to see that the antibiotic is treating the infection.

9/24/2012 – Stella is doing very well, and the abscess is almost completely healed. The lab results were inconclusive and we are evaluating further to determine the turtle’s eligibility for release.

9/17/2012 – The turtle remains very active and eats all food offered daily. Bloodwork will be sent out this week to help us evaluate the turtle’s current status.

9/10/2012 – The abscess continues to look great. The turtle has finished its course of antibiotics and has shown normal fecal production since. Bloodwork will be checked at the end of the month.

9/04/2012 – The abscess is almost completely healed. We noticed that the turtle was not producing formed feces as most greens should; due to the high fiber content found in their herbivorous diet. Bacteria were noted in a sample of feces and the turtle will be finishing a short course of antibiotics this week to help resolve the issue.

8/20/2012 – The turtle continues to be very active and eating well. The abscess is improving and is still being treated topically once a week. Bloodwork was taken today and results should be back sometime this week.

8/13/2012 – Stella has been doing very well; maintaining a high activity level a hardy appetite. Stella has completed its series of antibiotics and the small abscess near the incision site has been healing nicely. Stella’s bloodwork will be rechecked later this month.

7/30/2012 – Stella is continuing her antibiotics daily. Stella has been moved to a deep tank and has enjoyed having the extra space and has been using the brush enrichment when offered. The turtle has been eating well and enjoying the lettuce, peppers, and celery offered.

7/23/2012 – Stella’s bloodwork revealed an elevated white blood cell count. This may be related to a small abscess found at the incision location when we removed the sutures. The turtle will begin to receive oral antibiotics every day for the next two weeks.

7/16/2012 – Stella is scheduled for bloodwork, suture removal, and radiographs this week. The turtle continues to maintain a high appetite and activity level and no longer needs the cover for refuge.

7/9/2012 – Stella is now eating a variety of food daily and no longer appears to have a preference. The incision continues to heal and looks very nice. We’re hoping to remove the sutures at the end of this month.

7/2/2012 – Stella’s incision appears to be healing very well. The turtle began to show a preference in shrimp, but now is eating a more balanced diet of squid, fish, shrimp, and greens.

6/25/2012 – Stella had surgery to remove the feeding tube. The incision is healing very well and the turtle continues to eat all food offered daily. Stella enjoys eating her greens as well!

6/18/2012 – Stella’s appetite continues to increase and we have been able to offer her more food. The turtle is eating all food offered daily in addition to eating the greens too. The turtle seems to be more comfortable coming out from underneath the cover as well.

6/8/2012 – Stella has begun to show interest in greens over the past couple of days. We are continuing to offer the turtle a variety of food daily in addition to the tube feedings. The turtle seems to have become more calm with addition of the refuge.

6/1/2012 – Stella had a feeding tube surgically implanted on May 24th. The turtle is fed a small amount of pureed squid through the feeding tube, and is also offered food in the tank as well. It is our hope that the feeding tube will spark the turtle’s appetite and it will begin to eat on its own.

5/24/2012 – Stella has finished its antibiotics but still has yet to show a significant interest in food. We may consider surgically implanting a feeding tube if the turtle does not begin to start consistently eating soon. We have also added a bamboo cover as “refugia” for the turtle since it seems to be very skittish around the commotion of the guests and volunteers. The turtle seems much calmer since the new addition and spends majority of the day underneath of it.